Magnetically attractable golfing target and ball



L. E. PEARCE Oct. 8, 1968 MAGNETICALLY ATTRACTABLE GOLFING TARGET AND BALL Filed Aug;

J INVENTOR. Z 44/?5/1/65 E/ 59KE r ,4 i MAGNETICALLY ATIRACTABLE GOLFING TARGET AND BALL Lawrence E. Pearce, 1510 E. 54th St. N., Tulsa, Okla. 74126 Filed Aug. 18, 1966, Ser. No. 573,409

2 Claims. (Cl. 273-181) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A garden golf panel having magnetic components dispersed throughout for retaining a golf ball in place. The golf ball includes flakes or small chips of magnetic material, so that when the magnetic material of the golf ball and the magnetic material of the panel interact, they hold the two objects securely together so that the ball is held at the point of impact.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a lightweight magnetic golf game that is easy to carry and that provides ease in manufacture.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic material in a golf ball so that upon impact upon a magnetic panel the ball will not fall because of the magnetic interacting forces therebetween and is held in place to allow the player to observe and correct his shots on practice.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a magentic garden game that is useful particularly in practicing chip shots, and the like.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon full consideration of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation view of the panel containing magnetic components in accordance with the pre ferred embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a broken away and enlarged view of a corner of FIGURE 1 showing the detailed construction of the panel;

FIGURE 4 shows a cross-sectional lines 4-4 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 shows a golf ball manufactured in accordance with the concept of the invention, the golf ball being of standard weight and size but with the addition of flaked magnetic material disposed under the rubber cover. Preferably the magnetic material consists of flakes rather than strips or large solid components.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a mounting base from which there is provided a hinged upstanding supporting element 12 centrally mounted on the base 10, and in which the element 12 may be collapsed about the hinge 14 so that the size may be reduced and storage is thereby facilitated when desired.

A supporting leg 16 is provided to enable the structural components 10, 12 to maintain a type of rigidity. Leg 16 is pivotally connected at one of its ends and is hooked to engage the structural element 10 or 12 at its other end, as shown in FIG. 2.

There is provided at the top of the supporting element 12 a pair of hook members 20, 20 so that there may be disposed in hanging relation therefrom a bar 24, as shown particularly in FIG. 3, from which there is supported the panel 26. The panel 26 is'constructed of metal components that are magnetic in character and may be in the form of a woven net of rope which is about 7 of an inch throughout. The rope has strip magnets disposed therein which are similar to the magets used in refrigerator door gaskets, or the like, in which the strip magnetic view taken along 3,404,892 Patented Oct. 8, 1968 pieces are disposed between every intersection of the rope in the woven configuration, as shown in FIGURE 3. The rope ties or intersections are close enough together to prohibit or preclude a golf ball from passing through the net, and the panel terminates in a loop to which the rod 24 passes therethrough for supporting the magnetic panel from the rod 24, which in itself is suspended from the book 20.

The panel 26 is shown comprised of interwoven, or interlinking ropes 28, 28 with transverse like members 30, 30 in which the magnetic material is interposed therein in the form of magnetic strips 36, 36 as shown in FIG- URE 4.

When the golf ball 38 is driven for impact against the panel 26, due to the magnetic flakes 42, 42 inside the rubber covering of the golf ball 38, the golf ball upon impact with the panel 26 will maintain itself in the position of impact and the ball will not fall because of the magnetic interacting forces between the panel and the ball. Thus, the objects of the invention are satisfied, and there is seen provided a ball structure having flakes 42, or the like, which may be magnetically attracted or otherwise have metal attracting properties, to the magnetic or metal components of the panel or screen 26, also having magnets or attracting effects on metal flakes therein in order to facilitate the retention of the ball in position so that the height of the ball being driven may be observed and there may be computed the length of travel and the angle thereof. The ball therefore would not be affected by any playing surface such as on board ship or on a metal surface.

It is seen by the spacing of the ropes 28, 28 and 30, 30 that partial penetration of the balls fit into the apertures of the net formed by ropes 28, 28, 30, 30, and at the same time the magnetic forces interacting between the ball and the panel 26 at the point of impact.

A lightweight pad 46, not the webbing 26, 28 or the panel 10, 12, absorbs the shock.

The support for the net structure is another feature of the invention so that the forward thrust of the ball is absorbed rather than'causing the ball to deflect from the net, and in so doing, the degree of magnetism or attraction will have sufficient opportunity to retain and attract the ball in position upon the net during the recoil action of the ball upon the panel.

Additional embodiments of the invention in this specification will occur to others and therefore it is intended that the scope of the invention be limited only by the appended claims and not by the embodiments described hereinabove. Accordingly, reference should be made to the following claims in determining the full scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A magnetic garden golf game comprising a foldable supporting element having a set of hooks mounted on its upper end, a target panel of woven strands, said strands having therein magnets continuously interspersed throughout, a top portion of said panel being folded over and secured to define a supporting rod opening, a supporting rod adapted to be mounted within said set of hooks and said opening, and a golf ball impregnated with flaked magnetic material, the intersections of said woven strands being spaced to define openings therebetween of a size to receive but not pass said golf ball, the properties of said magnets and magnetic material being such that the golf ball will be held in place on said panel upon impact of the golf ball therewith.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein a lightweight shock absorbing pad is mounted on front of said supporting element.

(References on following page) 3 4 References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,989 1911 Great Britain.

2,011,014 8/1935 Rosengarten 273-481 I 2 770 460 11/195 Deasy 273 1O2 5 ANTON OECHSLE: Examiner- GEORGE I. MARLO, Assistant Examiner.

3,054,615 9/1962 Budish. 

